Indigenous senator Pat Dodson has warned another royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody is looming without major efforts to address the national scourge.
More than 450 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in custody since the release of the 1991 landmark royal commission report.
With the 30-year anniversary of the 339 recommendations next month, Indigenous leaders are demanding more action to fix the shameful statistics.
“Aboriginal people are frustrated to the back teeth about the number of deaths that are occurring and it appears that nothing is happening and no one is concerned.”
Senator Pat Dodson
Senator Dodson pursued bureaucrats over what action was being taken to address deaths in custody at a parliamentary inquiry on Friday.
“Aboriginal people are frustrated to the back teeth about the number of deaths that are occurring and it appears that nothing is happening and no one is concerned,” he told the hearing.
“You’re going to have another royal commission on your hands if you don’t advertise the stuff you’re doing and accelerate your efforts to deal with those underlying issues.”
The WA Labor senator praised the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s Blair Exell after he detailed meetings of federal and state ministers.
Mr Exell said the federal government was not sitting “idly” on the issue.
Senator Dodson urged Assistant Attorney-General Amanda Stoker to do more.
“Use your influence. Because this is a scandal. An absolute scandal,” he said.
Senator Stoker said 91 per cent of the royal commission’s recommendations had been fully implemented before noting many drivers of incarceration rates needed state and territory action.
But Senator Dodson questioned the effectiveness of the recommendations with almost 500 people dying in custody despite their implementation.
Senator Stoker rejected claims she was “lecturing” the respected reconciliation leader.
“I understand the outrage and the upset is real because the lives of every person through our justice system are important no matter what the colour of their skin is,” she said.
“They are living human beings, they are Australian and they matter. But just because we are outraged and upset at the result doesn’t mean anything I’ve said is untrue.”
Indigenous Greens senator Lidia Thorpe used the hearing to pursue a scheme that gives major companies grants to employ Aboriginal people.
“They can’t afford to employ blackfellas out of their own pocket?” she said.
The agency’s Ryan Bulman said the program helped people with significant barriers to employment find work.
“This is flowing through to Indigenous Australians so they achieve employment outcomes,” he said.
But Senator Thorpe argued companies with billions in revenue which didn’t pay tax shouldn’t need incentives to do the right thing.
“It’s not fair. Our communities need this money and if you want to close the gap I would stop giving money to mining companies and these big corporations who are raking it in.”
Australian Associated Press
